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U.S. Department of Energy
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Atmospheric Effects on Solar Cell Calibration and Evaluation

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5901411· OSTI ID:5901411

Results are presented that illustrate atmospheric effects on cell short currents and calibration numbers for silicon, gallium arsenide, and cadmium sulfide cells. Rigorous radiative transfer codes are used in this analysis to illustrate the effects of precipitable water, turbidity, air mass, and global normal irradiance compared with direct normal irradiance on cell performance. Precipitable water is shown to have a relatively large effect on GaAs (5%) as compared to a small effect (2%) on other cells. The quantitative effects of air mass and turbidity are illustrated. It was found that under some atmospheric conditions global calibration methods have a greater dependence on air mass than direct normal calibrations methods.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
5901411
Report Number(s):
SERI/TR-215-1379; ON: DE82007370
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English